Hotline
by ayasato
Summary: Edgeworth has one day to take Maya on the best date ever- lest he face the wrath of a certain defense attorney.


If there's one thing Miles Edgeworth is known for, it's his confidence.

Perhaps confidence isn't the right word; it's the self-assuredness in which he strides into the courtroom, or the way he never stutters, or even in the delicate manner he sets his teacup onto his plate so that it never clinks twice. Regardless, he doesn't need a perfect win record to have the respect of the Prosecutor's Office.

For there's a certainty in his actions that allow him to lead along his trials, whisk away the deceit and ultimately bring the truth to light- it's the certainty in having a clear picture of where he's going.

But today is different.

That morning, his hand shook while brushing his teeth. His cheek twitched while he was shaving his face, nearly resulting in injury. And during breakfast, as he set it down, his teacup did indeed clink twice against its plate- all because he was thinking of _her_.

It's normal for him to feel nervous on days they've planned to meet up, but there's a sizable difference between having an anime discussion group and going on a... date. Their first date, at that. Even worse is the fact that it was at his own awkwardly-phrased suggestion (he shudders at the memory), putting much of the responsibility on himself to make sure it goes well.

Edgeworth lets out a deep exhale, willing his nerves to calm themselves. On most days, he'd be at the courthouse by now, but he'd just wrapped up a case the previous day. However, he usually finds solace in his work, so he'd gone to his office anyway to pass the time.

But it soon becomes apparent that answering e-mails and getting a few calls out of the way has barely helped him calm down at all. There's no ignoring the fact that he's never, ever faced a trial like this before. Until she came along, the very idea of romance had never even crossed his mind. He'd ruled it out completely. Yet here he is, wishing he could be somehow be more prepared.

A buzz from his phone nearly gives him a heart attack; after a moment of hesitation, he opens up the new message.

 _hey :) hope you're excited for today. i'll be at the office with nick, so see you later!_

His heart skips a beat. Maya.

Funnily enough, the source of both his hopes and his worries doesn't seem to be as troubled as he is. But it's more comforting than anything, knowing that Maya's looking forward to spending the day with him. He can even envision her tapping away at her little pink cell, smiling impishly like she usually does as she puts together the text.

It's only after typing out a reply that he manages to lower his heart rate and relax a bit. Thinking about all the time they'd spent pouring over Steel Samurai source material together, all the nudging and teasing and flirty looks over food, everything leading up to this moment... Maya may have entered his life like a whirlwind, but the results of said whirlwind were far better than he could have expected.

He smiles to himself, feeling better already. As nervous as he is, he'd wanted this date, because he wanted to take this chance with her. It's strange, but she puts him at ease like this.

Now motivated, he grabs his keys and leaves the Prosecutors' Offices, heading downtown. It's only when he passes by Wright's office only that he realizes he's actually two hours early. He sheepishly takes a U-turn before anyone can notice his bright red sports car, parking at a nearby gas station.

With little else to do, he finds himself staring intently at the lavish bouquet he'd bought earlier that morning, sitting innocently beside him in the front seat. She'll like these roses, right? He'd chosen them based on their stereotypical association with, and meaning in flower language, love- love in the, ah, romantic sense. But would that mean anything to Maya? She tends to have her head in the clouds. It's not that she's unintelligent, but it's possible that her taste in flora is a bit more straightforward. What if she didn't like red flowers?

Edgeworth pauses. What _is_ her favorite color, anyway? He sucks in a breath at the lapse in his knowledge, sorting through every conversation with Maya he can remember. But he just doesn't know. What kind of friend is he, if he doesn't even know her favorite color? How could he consider himself her friend, let alone a candidate for her affections?

He curses internally. At the very least, it's not a terribly large problem; he's given himself plenty of lead time to try and fix this. He pulls back out of the station and heads off towards the nearest mall.

Hopefully, things won't get any more troubling today.

xxx

Time passes in the blink of an eye, and soon enough, it's noon. Heart in his throat, Edgeworth shows up at the door of Wright & co. Law Offices with the most purple bouquet he could find and a box of chocolates. His hands may not be shaking, but his legs sure are. He digs his heels into the hallway carpet as he gives the hardwood a few firm knocks.

Unfortunately, it's Wright who opens the door. The attorney's face turns from confusion to impassiveness when he sees the person standing there.

"Hey there, Edgeworth." His voice is strangely distant- and not in the usual joking way in which he addresses the other man. It does little to assuage Edgeworth's already overwhelming fears, but he stamps down on his unease. He can't show that kind of weakness to his court rival. Especially not today.

He clears his throat a little. "Afternoon, Wright."

The attorney glances at his gifts.

"Those for me?"

The prosecutor glares at him. Wright rolls his eyes.

"Still can't take a joke..." He grumbles. "I have absolutely no idea what she sees in you..."

He steps away from the door to beckon him in.

"Have a seat at the couch then, loverboy."

"Hmph."

The modest little office is no different than the last time Edgeworth had been here. It's tidy for the most part, though little shades of character shine through the manga to the left of the shelved law books. The potted plant in the corner sways indifferently with the breeze, flowing in through the open window. Admittedly, it's far more homely in comparison to his own waxed-down office, though that may have to do with someone who lives here.

Edgeworth finds his place on the worn couch, placing his gifts on the coffee table. "Where's Maya?"

"Upstairs. Prepping, I guess." Wright plops into the couch opposite him, looking frustratingly calm despite the strange air he'd created. "For now, why don't we have a talk?"

So much for being calm. There's a foreboding tone to Wright's voice that doesn't recall ever hearing before. It's akin to the dramatic tenor he would use in the courtroom, except... darker.

"What do you want to talk about?" Edgeworth ventures.

"Not much."

"You could have mentioned this over the phone before I arrived."

"Yeah, well, I felt this was a conversation we should have... face to face."

Wright leans forward, shoulders squared. It makes him look bigger than he normally does, similar to the way he would hunch over the defense bench. Edgeworth can't help but feel like a witness cornered. He knows what he's going to say next, but it does little to assuage the anxiety pooling in his gut. If he had already been panicking over today, he's currently shaking in his dress shoes.

"Now, don't take this the wrong way, because I know you're probably new to the dating scene too." Wright laces his fingers. "But I just wanted to let you know that if Maya doesn't come back looking happy, you'll have to face a bit of questioning."

It's as to be expected. Wright is extremely close to Maya, after all, which is why the man currently looks so... dangerous.

"Ah, I understand..."

"But do you _really_ , Edgeworth?"

"Pardon?"

Wright laces his fingers before him. "Maya's been through a lot lately. I trust you to keep her safe, of course- but I just haven't been convined that you'd not just keep her safe, but happy. You get me, don't you?"

It's obviously nothing personal against him (not that much, anyway); he suspects Wright would have been antagonistic to about any poor sap who took an interest in Maya, and probably for good reason. Framed for murder, attempted assassinations, kidnappings-she's gotten into more trouble than most people do in a lifetime, leading to the defense attorney having to personally kick down doors to get her out of it. Edgeworth has little doubt that the typically mild-mannered man would have few qualms about kicking in a few faces as well for her sake.

Even that aside, Maya is his late mentor's sister. And it hasn't been too long since the whole Hazakurain debacle. It's only natural he'd be a little protective.

"Give me this one chance." Edgeworth is no stranger to making bargains, though. "I'll prove that I care about Maya's happiness, too, above all else."

"I'm not gonna try and force you guys to cancel or whatever." Wright scowls. "It's not my place, and Maya's been talking non stop about you and this date since forever. But that doesn't mean that I have to like it, or that you get a free pass just because we're friends."

"I understand your concerns, Wright. Believe me. I promise you that nothing will go wrong." Edgeworth musters up whatever confidence he has left to give Wright what he hopes is an earnest look. Regardless of what the other man may think, or how paranoid he is over messing up this date, his feelings for Maya are nothing but genuine.

"If she tells me today sucked, or if you made her uncomfortable... I'll be seeing you at your office."

He has a feeling that the man isn't bluffing. Edgeworth maintains his composure, but his palms could not get any more clammier. He owes Wright enough to not want to betray his trust, or to disappoint Maya after everything she's been through rceently. Suddenly, the significance of this date had just tripled.

"I swear on my honor that she'll be in safe hands, Wright."

They have a bit of a staring contest then, Edgeworth doing his best not to let his eyes waver, should it weaken his statement. Wright has a surprisingly good poker face himself.

"You're way too old for her," the defense attorney eventually sniffs, though he seems a little more at ease now. Perhaps he'd convinced him of something. "And you're kind of a jerk. Yet, she likes you, for whatever reason. I really hope it's not just that samurai show."

It sort of _is_ the "samurai show"- well, _shows_ , to be precise- but it had served as a starting point more than anything. Edgeworth keeps his mouth shut on the matter, though. No use in needling the other man further.

Wright eyes the expensive gifts on the table. "But that's an okay start, I'll give you that."

"Er, thank you."

"Then again, food is always the answer with that girl."

Noise from the stairs redirect both of the men's attention to the corridor. Maya trots in right then, and Wright straightens up instantaneously, smiling fondly at his assistant. His intimidating aura disappears just as quickly. Meanwhile, Edgeworth gets a severe case of butterflies.

"Nick, what the heck did you mean by 'the refridgerator is running'?" She places her hands on her hips, miffed. "It was in the same place as always!"

"Oops. Well, you never really know with those things."

Maya appears specially dressed for the occasion; atop her regular acolyte kimono (he's unsure of what he should've been expecting) is a tiny, colorful purse slung over her shoulder. He realises the purse has a sparkly steel samurai logo decal on it.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd- oh! Mr. Edgeworth!" She suddenly blurts out, finally noticing his presence. "I didn't even notice you were there. It's as if you just sank into the couch!"

If only she knew how true that was.

"Er, good afternoon, Maya," he manages a reply to her impromptu greeting with an awkward smile.

Grinning, the medium hops over in his direction. Edgeworth quickly stands up to meet her.

"Someone's early. Were you just that excited to spend time with me?"

"Well, I can't deny that. Perhaps I was."

She leans forward to give him a big embrace, as always. And as always, he's slow to return it, caught off guard by her touchiness- he enjoys the gesture as much as it scares him.

Except this time, Wright is staring intently at him from the couch. Sweating, Edgeworth quickly lifts his arms to places them delicately on Maya's upper back.

When she pulls away, he lets out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"Your napkin's poofier than usual today! This must be a good omen." Maya flicks the ends of his cravat. "I'd know, because I'm a medium and all."

"It _better_ be a good omen." Wright grumbles from behind.

Edgeworth readjusts his cravat, if only for an excuse to keep his hands busy. "My state of dress aside, Maya, I brought you a few things."

"Ooh, I'm so glad you brought that up!"

He scoops up the bouquet of asters and lilacs and the box of chocolates from the table, before bowing a little before her.

"For you."

Maya squeals a bit, a blush dusting her cheeks. She has a habit of becoming mildly subdued when flustered, and it's terribly cute, putting him at ease even with a certain attorney's eyes glaring holes into head. "Jeez, you sure know how to make a girl feel like a princess, don't you?"

"I take it you like them?"

"Oh, you charmer, you." Maya eagerly accepts the offerings, the combination of the large bouquet and the wide box seemingly swallowing her up; he still underestimates her small stature. "Of _course_ I love them."

He internally breathes a sigh of relief; she either likes the flowers, or likes the chocolates enough to ignore them. He should really ask her about her favorite color later.

"Hey, Nick! Can you put these in a jar?"

Grumbling, the attorney gets up to take the bouquet from her, plodding off to the adjoining kitchenette. Thankful to finally be alone, Edgeworth allows his shoulders to slacken. Then Maya pokes his arm.

"Um, I have something for you too. It's a date thing, right?" She smiles shyly. "It's nothing fancy, but here."

To his mild surprise, Maya shrugs off her little Steel Samurai purse and offers it up to him.

It's official merchandise alright, but one on the cheap side. The kind of licensed product that ended up in a corner store, leading to the off-centered decal. It explains her sheepishness; she probably bought it with her own money, for once, but became nervous after seeing what had gotten her. There's also the fact that the purse looks like it was manufactured with a female user in mind. He probably won't wear it around, but it's still endearing in a strange way. Much like Maya herself.

"It's perfect." His appreciation is genuine. "Thank you, Maya."

She beams, hugging the box of chocolates to her chest and promptly sending his heart aflutter. Despite all his fears and worries, and now, the threat of being maimed by his court rival, seeing Maya happy makes it all worthwhile. Though he's been seeing her frequently in recent months, he has yet to tire of her smiling face. He allows a small smile of his own to grace his lips, but upon hearing Wright enter the room again, he straightens his back.

"I thought you could use something to show off your unhealthy obsession with Steel Samurai at the premiere, too." Maya looks quite proud of herself.

Sweat beads on his forehead. It's difficult enough admitting his (quite healthy!) interest in the series, but the downside to having someone to go to the movies with is the fact that Maya sees no shame in it at all.

"'Too?'"

"Yep! I got my signed Pink Princess cap on me today." Maya grins mischievously, unaware of his predicament. She pats her obi where said cap is undeniably stashed. "Maybe if I show it to the movie staff, we'll get free food on top of free tickets!"

"...I have my doubts, but you're welcome to try."

Global Studios had been gracious enough to offer them all free tickets to the latest Steel Samurai film on the day of its theatrical release, though any more freebies would probably be a stretch. Between himself and Maya alone, they'd had just about every piece of merchandise they owned signed by the (now world-famous) director Sal Manella. He's honestly surprised they hadn't run out of goodwill with the studio by now, three years after the Powers case.

"Isn't your movie at like, 7pm?" Wright rests his head on his arms on the back of the couch, looking mildly dejected. "Why do you guys have to leave at _noon_?"

Maya laughs, patting her friend on the head. "Becauuuse, it's a _date_ , Nick! We're gonna hang out while waiting, since we already have tickets and all."

"Hang out where, though? Edgeworth's car?" Wright snorts.

"I don't know, Mr. Edgeworth said he wanted to plan the day for us. Right?"

Maya looks up at him, and though those plans are undergoing elaborate changes in his mind at present, he manages to nod stiffly. Wright merely narrows his eyes at the prosecutor.

"Guess I'll count myself lucky I have a trial tomorrow."

Edgeworth swallows a little, but manages to prompt Maya. He has a feeling if he doesn't leave soon, he possibly never will.

"So, Maya, shall we be going?"

The medium nods and takes his hand, her warm fingers wrapping around his. He's not sure if he'll ever get used to the rush that comes with touching her. It's always such a strange feeling, but not necessarily an unwelcome one.

"I've been really looking forward to this," she says. "How about you?"

He cracks another small smile. "Same here."

"Well, I need to get my case together for tomorrow. Have a good time out there, Maya." Wright squeezes the young woman's shoulder, before giving the other man a pointed stare. "Edgeworth."

If his heart had been pounding out of 70% fear and 30% hope, it was now at a good 200% of pure terror. But he swallows it down. He needs to prove that he can take initiative.

"We will."

But on the inside, his mind is whirring. Wright's passive-aggressiveness aside, what if his plans for today aren't fun for Maya at all? Perhaps he'll have to do some rescheduling on the fly, he thinks as they exit the building. He has the resources. He hates to do things last minute- today has been a date 3 months in the making- but if it's for Maya, he'll do it.

As they get into the car, Edgeworth can't help but notice an ominously pointy-headed silhouette in a window above. Though he knows Wright is too busy to actually tail them, he has a feeling that if anything goes wrong on this date, the lawyer will find out immediately. All the more reason not to mess this up.

"So, where are we going?" Maya asks, bringing him out of his thoughts. She's bouncing restlessly in her seat, even though she'd just gotten in. "Turtle racing? Sky-diving? S _pace_? Well, maybe space isn't such a good idea. I haven't packed for a rocket trip, and I don't think we'd be return to Earth in time for the movie."

He chuckles. "No, nothing of that sort. Though in all honesty, I've just changed plans."

Maya gives him a confused look.

"Huh? Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no, it's nothing." He starts up the engine. "But I'm sure you'll enjoy where we're headed off to."

It seems that he absolutely has to make this the perfect first date- not just for Maya's sake, or Wright's sake, but also his own. He just has to keep Maya happy today, and Wright won't go on trial for the murder of Miles Edgeworth.

It can't be _too_ difficult to do. What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

This is the start of a fill I'm writing for the Phoenix Wright Kink Meme.

Original thread: pw-kink-meme . dreamwidth 5253 . html?thread=15842181


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